The ceremony was the 37th annual tribute to King and was produced by the Arlington County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources.

Christian Dorsey, the event’s master of ceremonies, praised King’s “truly powerful and transcendent legacy” but cautioned that more work had to be done to complete King’s vision.

“Martin Luther King Jr., remains a symbol of all people who struggle for civil rights, not just in this country but all over the world,” Dorsey said.

The seven first-place winners of Arlington Public Schools’ ninth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest read their winning entries and were presented with awards for their achievements. This year’s contest theme was “Dear Dr. King: What happens to a dream deferred.” More than 600 students submitted essays.